Page 13 of The Tracker's Rage

“Yes.” The mage stared directly at me with his strange copper eyes and blotchy pupils. “You knew where to find Blake, and you lied to me. He got away because you allowed it. He would have never been here today if you had let me go after him.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “But can you blame me for not trusting you?” At least now I knew the mage was an enemy ofmyenemies.

“Dammit!And I was so close,” he said. “I had almost created a cure against rhabo’s effects.”

Chapter 5

Rosalina and I gaspedin unison.

“You mean... you mean you were working on a cure, and they destroyed it?” I asked, my heart sinking.

Damien took off his top hat, set in on the worktable, and ran a hand through his short white hair, looking at a loss.

“Can’t you start over?” Rosalina asked when he didn’t answer my question.

He scoffed. “One of the ingredients I need is nearly impossible to come by.” He scrubbed at his face. “I suppose I’m paying for my own mistakes.”

Huh?What did he mean by that?

The mage shook his head, then walked out of the room, leaving us behind. He looked utterly defeated and deeply sad, which was odd.

We tiptoed after him.

“You have to keep trying,” I urged.

He ignored me, walked past an arched walkway to the right of the workroom, and entered a small sitting area. There, he collapsed on a sofa, looking disgusted.

“You can’t give up,” I said.

He dragged his copper gaze in my direction. “What is it to you, anyway? Don’t werewolves like it when vampires die?” His voice was charged with resentment as he said this.

I bristled. “Hey, that’s not fair. You know better. I wasn’t raised that way. I think every life has value and should be respected.”

He snorted. “So altruistic. Try to remember that when you send the cops to someone’s house without any evidence.”

Ouch,that hurt. Judging by Rosalina’s wince, the comment had also gotten to her.